1. Technical Field
The present invention was referenced in Document Disclosure No. 363,619 filed in the Patent and Trademark Office Oct. 18, 1994.
The present invention relates generally to an improved ball based court game and more particularly to an apparatus and method for playing a ball based court game in the dark.
Athletes seeking recreation and competition in sports and businesses providing facilities for athletic events are on a never ending quest to provide new challenges to increase interest and participation in those activities. Such quests may lead to entirely new games or modifications to existing games. The present invention falls into this latter category.
Ball based court games include such games as racket ball, hand ball, and squash, among others. Whereas the proportion, size, layout and style of racket if any, that are used for each sport varied between the different games, the common element which has not heretofore been varied is that all games are played in the light.
The present invention introduces a new dimension to ball based court games by providing an apparatus and method by which such games may be played in the dark. "Dark" is defined in Webster's Dictionary as "devoid or partially devoid of light: not receiving, reflecting, transmitting, or radiating light". Whereas, total absence of external light is the ideal, any given court may have minimal light enter around the door or elsewhere. The apparatus and method of the invention are designed to exclude both exterior and interior light, except for certain illumination markers on the court and ball to provide orientation for the players during game play.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Whereas certain illumination means have been previously suggested for use in association with ball based court games, none have provided conditions conducive to play in the dark. For example, Fedullo, U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,955 illustrates lighted paddles and an internally lite game ball for play during nighttime conditions. The illuminations of these portable articles would afford no orientation to players in a truly dark Court. Turner, U.S. Pat. No. 2,020,484, discloses a ball having internal lighting. Aubusson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,571 discloses a lighted game court but one having fluorescent floor markings for different sports and laser illumination means for illuminating selected fluorescent markings associated with a particular sport. Finally, Oberan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,458, discloses an electronic scoring apparatus for determining the validity of "kill shots" in a lighted court.
Lighting strips have been proposed for non-athletic purposes and environments, such as for egress. One example is Brookman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,225, which discloses illumination lighting strips for use on the walls, ceilings, floors and walkways. The source of illumination for the lighting strips may be light-emitting diodes or incandescent lamps.
Whereas the above prior art relates generally to lighting systems and some to lighting devices associated with court games, none disclose an apparatus and method which enable a ball based court game player to orient himself relative to the court for true play of the game in the dark.
A primary object of the invention therefore is to provide an apparatus and method that enable participants to play ball-based court games in the dark.
Another object of the invention is to increase the level of challenge and difficulty of a ball-based court game over that of conventional lighted court games.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and method for varying the difficulty of play of a ball-based court game by illuminating more or less illumination markers on the court.
Another object of the invention is to provide a dark court game apparatus and method utilizing illumination markers which minimize interference with normal ricocheting or rebounding of a game ball on the various court surfaces.
Another object is to provide a dark court game apparatus and method utilizing illumination markers which are visible in the dark but which minimize the radiation of light into a dark court.
Another object is to provide a dark court game apparatus and method with illumination markers on the court and ball for orientation relative to the dark court and on the opposing players to assess their positions and prevent collisions.
Another object of the invention is to provide a dark court game apparatus and method which, when the court is lighted, minimize any interference with conventional ball based court games in the light.